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Introduction: The median artery is considered a supernumerary artery. It is significant to know the incidence of the median artery during surgical approaches like endoscopic release of the median nerve in the forearm during a compression of the median nerve in the pronator syndrome. Therefore, the present study aims to describe the incidence and origin of the median artery. Materials and method: For the development of this study, 32 cadaveric elbows, forearms and hands were submitted to a dissection and fixed in 10% formalin solution. Results: From 32 examined cadavers, the median artery was found in 2 cases (6,25%). Likewise in 100% of the cases the median artery was originated from the ulnar artery, as a collateral branch. Conclusion: Based on the results, the frequency of the persistent median artery is low. However, its origin in the ulnar artery has a high periodicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relations between the thenar branch and the palmar proper digital nerves of the thumb, the radial (R1), the ulnar (C1) and the radial palmar digital nerve of the index finger (R2) are discussed. The thenar branch always arises from the lateral fascicle of the trifurcation of the median nerve, common palmar lateral digital nerve, and may appear on the volar surface or from the lateral side of the nerve, except in its posterior side. When the origin is located in the volar surface, three morphological variations are observed, all of them passing over the sensory branches, R1, C1 and R2, on their way to the thenar eminence. However, if the origin is on the lateral side of the median nerve, related to R1, its position will be lateral to the sensory branches, but when it is related to R2, it go under the sensory branches of the thumb in its road to thenar eminence. These results should be taken into account in the release or microsurgical repair of the MN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]